PHILADELPHIA – La Salle University made a three with just over 11 seconds left, late Loyola University Maryland attempts to regain the lead rolled off the rim, and the Explorers survived on their home court with a 62-61 victory on Wednesday night.
Loyola led 61-59 with less than 30 seconds to play, and the Greyhounds had an inbound play under the basket with one on the shot clock after a layup attempt was blocked out of bounds with 18 seconds left.
The ball was entered to
Milos Ilic and the buzzer sounded before a shot attempt, but the play was not whistled dead. La Salle grabbed the loose ball and transitioned to the other end where Andres Marrero made a three from the right side to take a one-point lead.
Loyola called a timeout and after getting the ball into the half court, the Greyhounds had a heavily contested layup attempt in the lane that went off the rim. Loyola got the rebound, but another shot was off the mark before time ran out.
Marrero finished with a game-high 18 points for La Salle, and Anwar Gill scored 15.
Alonso Faure had 14 points for Loyola, while
Milos Ilic put up his first collegiate double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
D'Angelo Stines added 12 points for Loyola.
La Salle (7-2 overall) took a 40-37 lead with 11:39 left in regulation, but Loyola used a 23-9 run to go up by 11, 60-49, on a Stines three.
The Explorers came back with 10 unanswered, and Loyola's lead was one, 60-59, with 1:02 left on the clock.
Faure made 1 of 2 at the line with 39 seconds to play, but Stines saved the possession after the missed attempt by throwing the ball off a La Salle player and out of bounds. Loyola had 20 on the shot clock, but a
Deon Perry shot was blocked with just over 18 ticks left, setting up the final sequence.
Perry had game-highs of six assists and four steals. Loyola had a 41-36 advantage on the boards as Faure grabbed seven, and Stines added six.
Loyola returns to Reitz Arena on Saturday, December 9, for a 5 p.m. game against Mount St. Mary's.
